Carr made it look relatively easy, once again seeking out and finding the moisture at the top while the rest of the field pole-putted around the bottom, then capitalizing on it, winning his heat race and leading the main event after sneaking past newcomer Jared Mees, who rode admirably in his first-ever AMA Grand National main event.
Looking forward to the pea-gravel free-for-all that is Lima, Ohio, Chris is relaxing and spending the week with his family, touring amusement parks of the Midwest and enjoying a healthy lead in the points standings, 26 ahead of Johnny Murphree as the season approaches halfway.
"In my scratch heat race I had a battle with Jake Johnson, and I was able to come out on top. We were in the sixth heat race, the track had been - everybody had been running pretty much on the bottom or in the middle. I was in the last heat race, and I went to the top and started doing some good times, and was able to get in front and split on that one. I got by Jon Raun Wood out of Pennsylvania on lap three and set sail on that one.
"On all four semis, everyone pretty much went to the top and rode the rim, and that's the way the track had to be ridden all night. In the main event, I got off the line about fourth, and got by (J.R.) Schnabel and Atherton - they got together in turns three and four, and I got by them, and then it was Jared Mees in front. He was riding really, really well. I was really impressed by the way he was running in front. I followed Jared for about three laps and was able to get by and get a good drive coming off turn four, and I picked up the pace and clicked off some good laps. It was pretty lonely after that, to be honest with you. It was a fun race. The track was just a gas to ride, and we don't get those very often."